Inspiration to Installation

United States Air Force Academy Training Center

“A key role in the development of the indoor training facility is the 100% natural light captured through Cambridge’s translucent panels. The stainless steel mesh sunscreens control the sun and glare while allowing for impressive views to the mountains.” - W. Kenneth Wiseman AIA MRAIC, Cannon Design

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Year Completed: 2011

End Use: Government

Prime Design Firm: Cannon Design

Engineer: W&W Steel

Subcontractor: GE Johnson Construction Company

Installer: GE Johnson Construction Company

Owner: The United States Air Force Academy Endowment

Application

Framed in gleaming diamond-shaped panels, stainless steel mesh from Cambridge Architectural boasts an aesthetic appeal complimenting the angular lines of the USAFA chapel brilliantly set against the rocky mountain backdrop. The application offers an eye-catching sun control system for the state-of-the-art, multi-use, multi-sport indoor training facility at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. The Holaday Athletic Center, a privately funded, $15.5 million indoor training facility houses a practice surface of 92,000 square feet. The enormous structure provides year-round practice time to all 27 Air Force varsity teams accommodating full playing fields for lacrosse, soccer and football.

Function

Built on the north side of Cadet Field House, the building is designed to meet USGBC LEED Silver criteria. Contributing to daylighting and views credits, the Cambridge stainless steel mesh application blocks the sun on the north, south and west facades of the building. The solar shading exterior screens were created with mesh in Cambridge’s Thatch metal fabric pattern; panels can be custom-designed to shade and screen structures including facades, pavilions, and parking garages.

Benefit

A key role in the development of the indoor training facility is the 100% natural light captured through Cambridge’s translucent panels. The stainless steel mesh sunscreens control the sun and glare while allowing for impressive views to the west. Cambridge’s U-binding and flatbar frame attachment hardware tack welds rigid metal fabric to a u-binding frame with mitered corners that are welded and ground smooth for a polished finish. Cambridge Architectural collaborated to ensure a streamlined installation process to the design and construction teams which ultimately contributed to the completion of a notable multi-use facility for the Academy.